adopting a dog

First & foremost, I am far from being a writer. I simply felt the need to write something to express gratitude for the selfless acts given by virtually an entire community of warm hearted people. Might I please first start by introducing myself? My name is Christopher LeBlanc. My family and I are from Central Massachusetts & I had occasion to be in Branford at my Mother-in-Laws house this past weekend, 11/13 through 11/15. Now my intentions were only to have a short visit on Saturday as my 11 year old daughter Rylee and I were making a stop off to show Mom-in-law & my Mom our newly adopted 6 & 1/2 month old Italian Greyhound/Jack Russell mix puppy.

Costs will vary depending on where you live. Use the worksheet below to help you plan for the adoption of your new dog.

ONE-TIME COSTS

   - Adoption fee.

   - Leash and collar. These may need to be replaced in the future - and if you are adopting a puppy, that may occur sooner rather than later!

   1. Healthy, loving pets of all shapes and sizes are available. A common assumption is that all the pets that are brought into a shelter must have something wrong with it. Not true! Pets are surrendered for many reasons, including: owners moving to no-pet housing; allergies; an illness, death, or other hardship results in the family being financially or otherwise unable to properly care for the pet; or simply that an impulsive owner did not consider the time, effort, and money required to care for a pet.

   2.

Every year thousands of unwanted pets are returned, given away, or abandoned to their fates. Some of these pets were gifts for birthdays, Christmas, or other occasions.

The giver is usually well-meaning. It could be that he believes a single friend or relative could "use some company" ... or that giving a new pet will help to ease the grief of someone mourning the loss of a beloved pet ... or someone who "loves animals" will appreciate a pet ... or simply that he finally gives in to repeated requests from the kids to get a pet.

Excerpted from: Adopting a Dog

There's much more to adopting a dog than finding a cute furry bundle and bringing it home. One thing to consider is the cost of keeping a dog healthy and happy. Even if you already have a dog at home, it may have been years since you've had to think about all the initial costs of integrating your new friend into the family.

Animal shelters and rescue organizations are filled with pets who have been turned in by their owners because of lifestyle issues: the dog requires too much attention or too much exercise, the cat needs regular grooming that they don't want to deal with, and so on.

Adopting a new pet is both exciting and rewarding ... and it should be a life-long commitment. Before you choose a new pet, consider how it will fit into your lifestyle. Ask yourself:

How active are you?

     If your family enjoys regular long-distance hiking or walking, look for an active breed dog that you'll be able to take with you.